Directions: Look through the chapter to find out the important points. This should take about 5-10 minutes.

1. Read the title: Read and focus on the title. Think about what it means and what should be in a chapter with that title. Think about what you may already know about that topic.

2. Read the introduction: Sometimes the first paragraph gives you an overview (review) of the whole chapter. It may give you clues to how the chapter is organized, and tell you what you will be learning about.

3. Read the bold faced subtitles: Subtitles are labels. By reading them you will read a list of all the important parts of the chapter. Think about each one, what it means and what you will learn.

4. Look at the pictures, charts and graphs: Glance at these to pick out anything you feel is important and/or interesting.

5. Read the summary at the end: The summary gives you the key points in the chapter. It will help you understand the chapter because you will gain a better idea about what the chapter is about.

6. Look at the questions at the end of the chapter: Read through the questions, these will give you a better idea of what you will be learning from the chapter. DO NOT read the chapter to simply answer the questions though.

7. Complete SQ3R note cards. Study during wasted time in chunks of 5 minutes. Take a 5-15 minute break before studying the note cards again.

Organization Skills

Directions: Planning, setting aside time each day, rehearsal of information to place it in long-term memory, and asking for help, will assist you greatly in learning and being academically successful!

1. Plan & get organized: Use your agenda book to write down assignments in each class. When you complete your assignments, have your parents check your work. Put it in your binder that is designated for each class. Turn in your assignment promptly at the beginning of each class. If you have an assignment due sometime in the future, work on it early and finish it well ahead of time. DO NOT PROCRASTINATE! Each day before it is due, look at the assignment, revise it and make it better!

2. Set aside time each day for studying at home: Every day at home, spend 2-3 hours studying. That means not only to do homework, but review material covered in class that day. This study time at home needs to be at a quiet place, preferably away from distractions like TV, the computer, or music playing. Your entire focus needs to be on studying. Part of this time each day should be used for SQ3R note cards.

3. Rehearsal, repetition, rote memorization – the 3 R’s to successful learning: In Bloom’s taxonomy, the key to being a successful learner, to be a critical and creative thinker, you need to have a solid foundation of common knowledge. To acquire basic facts and information to be stored in our long-term memory to which later we can more easily learn new information, attachment of this new information is easier if we can easily recall similar information previously learned.

4. Ask for help! Get a peer tutor, stay after school and work with your teacher individually each week, form a study group, and call a homework hotline like 1-800-ASK-ROSE, all can assist you in doing better in the classroom. See Mrs. Miller for additional information on homework assistance.

Prince of Peace Catholic Schools prepare students to lead meaningful lives by combining rigorous academics with opportunities for exploration and reflection.